OBJECTIVES: New anticoagulant drugs, alternative to vitamin K antagonist (VKA) are currently under clinical evaluation. Patients' preferences should be considered in the development of new therapeutic strategies. Objective of this study was to elicit patients' preferences on different treatment options. METHODS: A discrete-choice-exercise (2 different scenarios in 9 pair-wise comparisons) was applied to consecutive patients of all ages on stable OAT or during their OAT starting-visit. The following attributes were considered to be important after interviewing 20 patients and 6 physicians: route and number of administrations, monitoring frequency, minor bleedings (few vs. no), treatment out-of-pocket payment (€0 vs. €15 vs. €75/month), drugs/food interactions and dose-adjustment (required vs. not-required). The Possible relationship between sociodemographic and/or clinical characteristics of the respondents and their preferences were evaluated. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completed by 237 patients (55%male; mean-age=63/ds=14; 41%on-stable-OAT). A significant monetary discrimination was reached for all attributes, except ‘interactions' and ‘dose adjustment'. The conditional-probit-model demonstrated that patients are willing-to-pay (WTP) per month: €79 for once-daily administration-tablets vs one subcutaneous weekly-injection; €41 for once-daily administration-tablets vs. twice-daily administration-tablets; €21 for once-monthly vs. twice-monthly; €18 for each 6 month vs. once-monthly visits; €23 for a drug without bleeding-risk. The model showed important differences between stable and starting OAT patients: the WTP for less frequent monitoring and no interactions is greater for patients in stable-OAT; the WTP to avoid bleedings is greater for starting patients. Also the employment status matters: employed patients are more willing to pay for a treatment with less frequent monitoring. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this study is the first to elicit preferences from patients in OAT. The importance of this study is the achievement of patients preferences in a simply and well accepted method to allow planning optimal health care.